HydroEcologist WIDE

Position Overview

Principal Hydro ecologist UK WIDE at Jacobs in Birmingham, England, United Kingdom. As part of our environmental team, you will assess the ecological impact of water abstraction across the UK and lead sustainability assessments under the Water Industry National Environment Programme (WINEP), using tools such as RICT and applying Water Framework Directive standards to interpret ecological data.

As a Principal Hydro ecologist at Jacobs, you’ll apply your expertise to assess the ecological impact of water abstraction across the UK, helping shape sustainable water management strategies. You’ll lead sustainability assessments under WINEP, using tools like RICT and applying Water Framework Directive standards to interpret ecological data. Your work will directly support river restoration, strategic resource planning, and performance auditing for major water companies.

You will collaborate with specialists in freshwater ecology, hydrology, hydrogeology, and geomorphology as part of an interdisciplinary team solving complex environmental challenges.

• Extensive relevant industry experience, ideally specialising in hydro ecology
• Experience in Water Industry National Environment Programme (WINEP) investigations or equivalent
• Demonstrable experience working on low flow investigations
• Ability to design ecological monitoring programmes
• Experience in analysing large environmental datasets, using statistics
• Application of Water Framework Directive standards and thresholds, including classification of ecological monitoring data
• Experience in stakeholder engagement
• Chartered membership of a professional body (or sufficient experience to obtain chartership)

• Up to 10% company contribution into your pension
• Reimbursement towards relevant professional development and memberships
• Opportunity to buy/sell annual leave
• Free employee medical cover and digital GP service
• Enhanced parental leave pay
• Fertility healthcare and family‑forming benefit provided by Carrot
• Hybrid working
• Part‑time roles
• Flexible working hours

Jacobs partners with VERCIDA to help us attract and retain talent from a wide range of backgrounds. For greater online accessibility please visit  to view and access our roles. As a disability confident employer, we will interview disabled candidates who best meet the criteria. We welcome applications from candidates who are seeking flexible working and from those who may not meet all the listed requirements for a role.

If you require further support or reasonable adjustments with regards to the recruitment process (for example, you require the application form in a different format), please contact the team via Careers Support.